Interconnection assembly for printed circuit boards

ABSTRACT

An apparatus electrically interconnects pins that project from the rear side of a backplane in separate arrays corresponding to respective circuit boards at the front side of the backplane. The apparatus comprises a connector board assembly extending across the rear side of the backplane between separate arrays of pins. The connector board assembly has signal routing circuitry that electrically interconnects those separate arrays of pins. This enables the respective printed circuit boards to be electrically interconnected independently of any signal routing circuitry within the structure of the backplane. Accordingly, the apparatus preferably includes a backplane that is free of signal routing circuitry for interconnecting pins that extend through the backplane.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of provisional U.S. PatentApplication 61/035,136, filed Feb. 11, 2008, which is incorporated byreference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This technology relates to electrical connections between printedcircuit boards installed against a backplane.

BACKGROUND

Printed circuit boards are typically interconnected through a backplane.The backplane may be located at the rear of a cabinet or other housing.The circuit boards are installed in the housing by sliding them intopositions that are parallel to each other and perpendicular to thebackplane, with their inner edges adjoining the backplane. Electricalconnections for routing signals between the boards are formed in part byconnectors that attach them to the backplane, and in part by circuitrywithin the backplane itself. The configuration of that circuitry isconstrained by the area and thickness of the backplane. As a result,close proximity of interconnecting traces within the backplane can causeproblems such as signal attenuation, signal reflection, crosstalk andnoise. This can be resolved by increasing the size of the backplane todecrease the circuit density. However, signal loss is directlyproportional to the square of the signal length, so the signal losscaused by longer traces can cancel out some, if not all, of the benefitsgained by decreasing the density.

SUMMARY

An apparatus electrically interconnects conductors arranged at the rearside of a backplane in separate arrays corresponding to respectivecircuit boards at the front side of the backplane. The apparatuscomprises a connector board assembly extending across the rear side ofthe backplane between separate arrays of conductors. The connector boardassembly has signal routing circuitry that electrically interconnectsthose separate arrays of conductors. This enables the respective printedcircuit boards to be electrically interconnected independently of anysignal routing circuitry within the structure of the backplane.Accordingly, the apparatus preferably includes a backplane that is freeof signal routing circuitry for interconnecting conductors that extendthrough the backplane.

In a given example, the conductors are pins, and the connector boardassembly includes a connector board and a pair of adapters. Each adapterhas electrical terminals with inner and outer end portions. The innerend portions of the terminals on each adapter are arranged along astraight line to engage a corresponding row of pins projecting from therear side of the backplane. The outer end portions of the terminals oneach adapter are arranged along a skewed line at an acute angle to thestraight line. The connector board interconnects the outer end portionsof the electrical terminals on the adapters when the board is installedat the rear side of the backplane in a position bridging the adaptersalong the skewed lines. The connector board and the adapters can thusform diagonal electrical connections between orthogonal arrays of pinsat the rear side of the backplane.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of parts of a backplane assembly.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of parts shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of a part of the backplane assembly.

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of a part of the backplane assembly.

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the part shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of a part of the backplane assembly.

FIG. 7 is a top view of a part of the backplane assembly.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a part of the backplane assembly.

FIG. 9 is a top view of the part shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a view taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a view taken on line 11-11 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged partial view of parts of the backplane assembly.

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 12, showing another part of thebackplane assembly.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the backplane assembly, taken fromabove.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the parts shown in FIG. 14, taken frombelow.

FIG. 16 is a rear perspective view showing additional parts of thebackplane assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The apparatus shown in the drawings has parts that are examples of theelements recited in the claims. The following description thus includesexamples of how a person of ordinary skill in the art can make and usethe claimed invention. It is presented here to meet the statutoryrequirements of written description, enablement, and best mode withoutimposing limitations that are not recited in the claims.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show parts of a backplane assembly 10, including abackplane 12 and printed circuit boards configured as cards 14 arrangedalong the front side 16 of the backplane 12. Each card 14 has connectors20 engaged with corresponding headers 22 that are mounted on thebackplane 12. Each header 22 has an array 24 of conductors in the formof pins 26. The pins 26 at each header 22 extend from the correspondingconnector 20 through the backplane 12 to project from the rear side 28of the backplane 12. A plurality of connector board assemblies 30, oneof which is shown in FIG. 1, extend across the rear side 28 of thebackplane 12 between separate arrays 24 of pins 26. The connector boardassemblies 30 have circuitry that interconnects the separate arrays 24of pins 26. This enables cards 14 at the front side 16 of the backplane12 to be electrically interconnected independently of the backplane 12,and thereby avoids problems that might otherwise be caused by circuitdensity within the structure of the backplane 12.

As shown in FIG. 3, each connector 20 has a rear end 32 with receptacles34. As shown in FIG. 4, each header 22 has a front side 36 from whichthe pins 26, as well as an array of blades 28, project into thereceptacles 34 in the corresponding connector 20. Each header 22 has arear side 38 (FIG. 5) from which the pins 26 project through thebackplane 12. The orthogonal array 24 in the illustrated exampleincludes ten rows of twelve pins 26.

The cards 14 in this example include a pair of hub cards 50 and a largerseries of daughter cards 52. Each hub card 50 has multiple connectors 20engaging corresponding headers 22 on the backplane 12. The arrays 24 ofpins 26 projecting from those headers 22 form two vertical columns atthe rear side 28 of the backplane 12. Each daughter card 52 may alsohave multiple connectors 20, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. However, thebackplane assembly 10 includes only a single header 22 for each daughtercard 52. The arrays 24 of pins 26 projecting from those headers 22 forma single horizontal row across the rear side 28 of the backplane 12. Asshown in FIG. 6, the backplane 12 in this example is configured for thatparticular arrangement, with two columns 54 and one row 56 of holes 57for receiving the pins 26.

More specifically, the pin holes 57 in each column 54 are arranged in anorthogonal array that encompasses the multiple arrays 24 of pins 26 onthe headers 22 for the corresponding hub card 50. The pin holes 57 inthe horizontal row 56 are likewise arranged in orthogonal arrays, eachof which matches the orthogonal array 24 of pins 26 on the header 22 atthe corresponding daughter card 52. Accordingly, each array of pin holes57 in the horizontal row 56 includes ten rows of twelve holes 57.Columns of peg holes 59 for the connector board assemblies 30 (FIG. 1)are arranged in pairs that flank the arrays of pin holes 57. Thebackplane 12 preferably does not include signal traces that interconnectany pin hole 57 with any other pin hole 57.

The individual connector board assembly 30 of FIG. 1 includes aconnector board and two pairs of adapters. As shown separately in FIG.7, the connector board 80 is an elongated rectangular panel with foursets of electrical contacts 84 arranged along one long edge. Each setincludes twelve contacts 84, with six of those contacts 84 on one sideof the board 80 and the other six on the opposite side of the board 80.The structure of the board 80 includes signal traces 86 thatinterconnect the two sets of contacts 84 at the opposite ends of theboard 80, as well as signal traces 88 that interconnect the twointermediate sets of contacts 84.

The adapters 82 are alike. As shown in FIGS. 8-11, each adapter 82 inthe given example includes twelve electrical terminals 90 and a housing92 for the terminals 90. The housing 92 is an elongated structure withfront and rear sides 94 and 96. Passages 97 extend through the housing92, and are arranged in a row along the length of the housing 92. Theterminals 90 are installed in the passages 97, with their inner endportions 98 accessible at the front side 94 of the housing 92, and theirouter end portions 100 accessible at the rear side 96. The inner endportions 98 of the terminals are arranged along a first straight line101 (FIG. 10). The outer end portions 100 are arranged in parallel rowsof six that are equally spaced laterally across a second straight line103 (FIG. 11). The second straight line 103 lies in a plane parallel tothe plane of the first straight line 101, but is skewed at an acuteangle to the first straight line 101.

Pegs 104 project from the housing 92 at opposite ends of the front side94. The pegs 104 are receivable in peg holes 59 in the backplane 12 tosupport the adapter 82 in an installed position at the rear side 28 ofthe backplane 12. When in the installed position, the inner end portions98 of the terminals 90 engage a row of pins 26 projecting from a row ofpin holes 57 in the backplane 12. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 12, thefour adapters 82 can be installed on the rear side of the backplane 12separately from each other, but with their skewed lines 103 extendingtogether across multiple arrays 24 of pins 26. The inner end portions 98of the terminals 90 then engage four diagonally offset rows of pins 26corresponding to four different cards 14 at the front side 16 of thebackplane 12.

Each adapter 82 also has a pair of pillars 110 which project from thehousing 92 at opposite ends of the rear side 96. The pillars 110 faceoppositely across the skewed line 103 to define a slot 111 for receivingthe connector board 80 along the skewed line 103, as shown in FIG. 13.When the connector board 80 is received in the slot 111, the outer endportions 100 of the terminals 90 engage a set of contacts 84 on theconnector board 80. As best seen from above and below in FIGS. 14 and15, the outer end portions 100 of the terminals 90 on one side of theskewed line 103 engage contacts 84 on one side of the connector board80, and the outer end portions 100 on the other side of the skewed line103 engage contacts 84 on the other side of the connector board 80. Thefour adapters 82 are thus configured to receive the connector board 80in an installed position extending diagonally across the rear side 28 ofthe backplane 12 to bridge the adapters 82, and thereby to electricallyinterconnect the four corresponding cards 14 at the front side 16, asshown in FIG. 13. In this manner the signal connections between thecards 14 are routed through the connector board assembly 30 instead ofthrough the backplane 12.

Multiple connector board assemblies can be added as needed. For example,FIG. 16 shows the two hub cards 50 connected with the adjacent pair ofdaughter cards 52 by two of the connector board assemblies 30 describedabove. The hub cards 50 are connected to more remote pairs of daughtercards 52 by connector board assemblies 120 that differ only by havingappropriately longer connector boards 122. Although each of these boards80 and 122 has four sets of contacts 84 that are interconnected in twopairs for four corresponding arrays 24 of pins 26, the number andinterconnected arrangement of contact sets can differ as required by anyparticular specification or standard of backplane routing assignments.The arrangement of conductor holes in a backplane can differaccordingly. In each case, the connector board is preferablyperpendicular to the backplane, as in the embodiments shown in thedrawings.

The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and mayinclude other examples of how the invention can be made and used. Suchother examples, which may be available either before or after theapplication filing date, are intended to be within the scope of theclaims if they have structural or method elements that do not differfrom the literal language of the claims, or if they have equivalentstructural or method elements with insubstantial differences from theliteral language of the claims.

1.-23. (canceled)
 24. An apparatus for electrically interconnectingconductors arranged at a rear side of a backplane in separate arrayscorresponding to respective circuit boards at a front side of thebackplane, the apparatus comprising: a board having signal routingcircuitry; a plurality of first electrical terminals configured toengage a corresponding plurality of conductors in a first array along afirst straight line; and a plurality of second electrical terminalsconfigured to engage a corresponding plurality of conductors in a secondarray along a second straight line that is parallel but diagonallyoffset from the first straight line; wherein the first and secondelectrical terminals are further configured to engage the signal routingcircuitry on the board when the board takes an installed positionextending across the rear side of the backplane along a third straightline at an acute angle to the first and second straight lines to span adiagonal offset between the first and second electrical terminals andthe corresponding conductors.
 25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein theboard is configured to be perpendicular to the backplane when in theinstalled position.
 26. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprisingthe backplane, and wherein the backplane is free of signal routingcircuitry configured to interconnect the first and second arrays ofconductors.
 27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the acute angle isabout 10 degrees.
 28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the firstelectrical terminals are parts of a first adapter configured formounting on the rear side of the backplane, and the second electricalterminals are parts of a second adapter configured for mounting on therear side of the backplane separately from the first adapter.
 29. Theapparatus of claim 28, wherein the board is a structure separate fromthe adapters and has electrical contacts configured to engage the firstand second electrical terminals on the adapters.
 30. The apparatus ofclaim 24, wherein the conductors are pins.
 31. An apparatus forelectrically engaging conductors arranged at a rear side of a backplanein separate arrays corresponding to respective circuit boards at a frontside of the backplane, the apparatus comprising: a pair of adapters,each of which has a plurality of electrical terminals with inner andouter end portions, with the inner end portions arranged along astraight line to engage a corresponding row of conductors at the rearside of a backplane, and with the outer end portions arranged along askewed line at an acute angle to the straight line, whereby the outerend portions can electrically engage a connector board installed at therear side of a backplane in a position bridging the adapters along theskewed lines.
 32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the adapters areconfigured for mounting on the rear side of a backplane separately fromeach other, with their straight lines extending along diagonally offsetrows of conductors, and with their skewed lines extending togetheracross multiple arrays of conductors.
 33. The apparatus of claim 31,wherein each adapter has a slot for receiving an edge portion of aconnector board along the respective skewed line.
 34. The apparatus ofclaim 31, wherein each adapter is an elongated structure with a total oftwelve electrical terminals.
 35. An apparatus for electrically engagingconductors arranged at a rear side of a backplane in an arraycorresponding to a circuit board at a front side of the backplane, theapparatus comprising: a plurality of electrical terminals with inner andouter end portions, with the inner end portions arranged along astraight line to engage a corresponding row of conductors at the rearside of the backplane, and with the outer end portions arranged along askewed line at an acute angle to the straight line, whereby the outerend portions can electrically engage a connector board positioned at theacute angle to the row of conductors.
 36. The apparatus of claim 35,wherein the outer end portions of the electrical terminals are arrangedin rows on opposite sides of the skewed line so as to engage electricalcontacts on opposite sides of a connector board.
 37. The apparatus ofclaim 36, wherein the rows are equally spaced laterally across theskewed line.
 38. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising a supportstructure supporting the electrical terminals for mounting together atthe rear side of the backplane.
 39. The apparatus of claim 38, whereinthe support structure has pegs receivable in peg holes in the backplane.40. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the support structure has a frontside at which the inner end portions of the electrical terminals arearranged along the straight line, and has a rear side at which the outerend portions of the electrical terminals are arranged along the skewedline.
 41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the electrical terminalsproject from the rear side of the support structure such that the outerend portions are spaced rearward from the rear side.
 42. The apparatusof claim 40, wherein the inner end portions of the electrical terminalsare accessible at the front side of the support structure but are notspaced forward from the front side.
 43. The apparatus of claim 40,wherein the support structure comprises a housing having passagesextending between the front and rear sides, and the electrical terminalsare installed in the passages.
 44. The apparatus of claim 40, whereinthe support structure has portions projecting from the rear side onopposite sides of the skewed line to define a slot for receiving aconnector board in electrical engagement with the outer end portions ofthe electrical terminals.